Department for Transport

Electric Vehicles: Bicycles

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the advantages, and (2) the disadvantages, of the use of powered cargo bikes.

baroness vere of norbiton: In March 2019, the Department for Transport published the Government response to its call for evidence on ‘The Last Mile – Delivering Goods More Sustainably’. The response included a summary of the opportunities and challenges identified by respondents for using electrically powered cargo bikes in towns and cities.

Bicycles: Netherlands

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made, if any, ofanybenefits resulting from the use of cargo bikes in the Netherlandsfor reducing carbon emissions and obesity.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government recognises the opportunity for cargo bikes to improve air quality and reduce congestion in urban areas. As part of its Last Mile Delivery Review call for evidence in 2018, the Department consulted stakeholders, including European cargo bike groups, to understand how best to support the development of the electric cargo bike sector in England, and in April 2019 it launched a £2 million e-cargo bike grant programme to support their uptake.

Electric Vehicles: Bicycles

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage the use of powered cargo bikes by families.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government recognises the contribution that electric powered bikes, including cargo bikes, can make to delivering the aim of double cycling as outlined in the 2017 Statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). The CWIS, and the CWIS Safety Review Government Response published in November 2018, set out how all types of cycling will be supported through appropriate investment in good quality infrastructure, behaviour change initiatives and safety measures.

Electric Vehicles: Sales

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofthe Society of Motor Manufacturers’ statement that the Government's decision to abolishthe Plug-in Car Grant three weeks early at the end of 2018has caused a reduction in sales of low-emission vehicles.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government has not abolished the Plug-in car Grant (PiCG). The plug-in car grant continues to provide £3,500 to support the cleanest vehicles and will continue to exist in some form until at least 2020. The PiCG was introduced in 2011 to support the early market for ultra-low emission vehicles. Through the PiCG we have supported the purchase of over 200,000 plug-in vehicles, including around 100,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Last year, in light of increased demand and decreasing prices, we reviewed the PiCG to focus on the cleanest vehicles. While sales of plug-in hybrids have decreased since the grant was reviewed, sales of zero emission cars are up by more than 60% in 2019, than for the same period in 2018. Overall, sales of all alternatively-fuelled cars have increased this year, compared to the same period last year. The Government’s ambition is for the UK to be a world leader in zero emission vehicles. We are investing nearly £1.5bn‎ between April 2015 and March 2021. The Government’s Road to Zero strategy was published last year and details how this funding is providing grants for plug-in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles, as well as schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes, workplaces and on residential streets.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Palestinians

the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will now recognise Palestinian statehood,following the launch ofthe United States' Prosperity to Peace initiative.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are clear that we want to see the creation of a sovereign, independent, and viable Palestinian state - living in peace and security, side by side with Israel. The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. Without a negotiated settlement the occupation and the problems that come with it will continue.

Bahrain: Technical Assistance

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their decision to suspend the issuance of new export licences for the sale of arms to Bahrain, whether they intend to impose a similar moratorium on the technical assistance programme to Bahrainin view of reports of human rights abuses in that country.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Following the Court of Appeal judgement in a Judicial Review into the Government’s decision-making process for granting export licences to Saudi Arabia, Her Majesty's Government will not be issuing new licenses to Saudi Arabia and its Coalition partners for the sale of arms destined for use in the conflict in Yemen. The Government is currently considering the implications of the Review. The judicial review judgement is not about whether the Government has made the right decisions in granting export licences but concerns the rationality of the process used to reach those decisions.Under the UK technical assistance programme within the Integrated Activity Fund, each project goes through a rigorous compliance process before commencement. All projects are regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure that the training provided by or on behalf of the British Government complies with our domestic and international human rights obligations.

Syria: Islamic State

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL15998), whether Coalition forces and their partners were involved in the attacks on unarmed Syrian barges on 31 May; and if so, why.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have seen no evidence that Global Coalition forces or their partners were involved in attacks on unarmed Syrian barges on 31 May.

Syria: Islamic State

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any armed groups are being protected by the Global Coalition Against Daesh in the Al Tanf enclave; if so, what are the ideological orientations of each of those groups; and whether any such groups have any connectionto Daesh.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The sole purpose of the Global Coalition is to degrade and defeat Daesh. The Global Coalition does not and will not protect groups with any connection to Daesh. It is understood that the US provides support to local armed group Maghaweir al-Thowra in the Al Tanf Deconfliction Zone. It is not for the UK to comment on the nature or detail of the US' support.

Syria: Islamic State

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that a number of families that include Daesh members were recently released from the Al Hawl holding camp controlled by the Global Coalition Against Daesh; and whether any such families were allowed to pass into the Al Tanf enclave.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Global Coalition does not control al Hol displaced persons camp. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), partners of the Global Coalition, provide security to the camp. We are aware that some Syrians have left al Hol camp for areas of Syria under SDF-control, including Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zour, in a process managed by the SDF and local community leaders. We are not aware of any Syrians leaving al Hol for the al Tanf Deconfliction Zone.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Middle East on 18 June (HC266244), what assessment they have made of the number of Palestinian children who have been killed or injured as a result of the conflict between Israel and Palestine; and what criteria they use to assess whether the use of self-defence by Israel is legitimate.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we have not made any assessment on the numbers of Palestinian children killed or injured, we are very concerned by any instance of Palestinian children being killed or injured by Israel Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. We have publicly and privately expressed our longstanding concerns about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by the Israel Defence Forces and encourage independent and transparent investigations when deaths occur. We continue to urge Israel to provide the necessary protections for Palestinian children living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are also clear that Israel has the legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: EU Law

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to assess the impact on the NHS of leaving the European regulatory framework in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government maintains that leaving the European Union with a deal is the best outcome. However, as a responsible Government, we continue to plan and prepare for all eventualities, including a potential ‘no deal’ exit.The Government is committed to the safe and effective regulation of medicines and medical devices in the United Kingdom. We will continue to strengthen safety while ensuring National Health Service patients and the public have fast access to new, innovative medicines.The Government is providing short-term regulatory flexibility, in order to ensure that the UK can still import medicines from the European Economic Area (EEA), when the UK leaves the EU. We have announced that, in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, the UK will recognise batch testing that takes place in the EU and EEA, thus ensuring regulatory continuity so that the NHS can maintain ease of access to medicines developed and manufactured in the EU.In the event of a ‘no deal’ exit, the Government will continue to ensure that UK patients are able to access the best and most innovative treatments and that their safety is protected.

IVF: Breast Cancer

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 14 July 2014 (HC Deb, col 448W), Earl Howe on 3 December 2014 (HL273), Lord O'Shaughnessy on 3 December 2018 (HL11600), and comments by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 20 January 2016 (HC Deb, col 623WH), to what extent the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) database is linked to (1) NHS databases, and (2) cancer registries; whether data from the register of patients and treatments that is maintained by the HFEA is sufficient toassess the contentionthat IVF in older women linked to an increased risk of breast cancer; and how the HFEA will ensure that information provided to patients regarding any potential long-term safety implications associated with treatment will include appropriate reference to such risks.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Register is not linked to any National Health Service databases or cancer registries; and data from the Register alone would not allow an assessment of the risk to be identified. However, under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (Disclosure of Information for Research Purposes) Regulations 2010, the HFEA may authorise the processing of disclosable protected information contained in the Register for research, in the public interest or in the interests of improving patient care. A recent study by University College London investigated risks of ovarian, breast, and corpus uteri cancer in women treated with Assisted Reproductive Technologies and found no link between the use of ovarian stimulatory drugs and an increased risk of cancer.The HFEA continually updates patient information whenever new clinical information is available. The HFEA is advised by the Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee on scientific and clinical developments (including research) in assisted conception, embryo research and related areas.

IVF: Drugs

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 14 July 2014 (HC Deb, col 448W), Earl Howe on 3 December 2014 (HL273), and comments by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 20 January 2016 (HC Deb, col 623WH),how the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) ensures that clinics follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on limiting the use of ovulation induction or ovarian stimulation agents to the lowest effective dose and duration of use without collecting information on the identity of drugs used in treatment, the dosage used and the associated regimen for ovarian stimulation at each licensed centre; and what would be needed for the HFEA to regulate the administration of drugs during in vitro fertilisation treatment.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts 1990 and 2008 do not provide for the regulation of the use or monitoring of medicines used in fertility treatment.Medicines used in fertility treatment are licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. These medicines may be used in Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority-licensed clinics or in other settings, for example by general practitioners.Medicine prescribing is a matter of clinical judgement, taking account of the individual patient’s circumstances and professional guidance. It is the duty of every clinician to take into account the welfare and best interest of their patient when deciding on the appropriate treatment for them for any medical condition, in line with General Medical Council’s good medical practice guidance.

Mefloquine

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the European Medicines Agency Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee’s 2014 report on the toxicity of mefloquine (Larium).

baroness blackwood of north oxford: At its meeting in February 2014, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency recommended that the product information for mefloquine (Lariam) be amended to state that neuropsychiatric adverse reactions may persist for months, or longer, even after discontinuation of the drug. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) accepted the recommendations and implemented the advice of the PRAC, which is reflected in the United Kingdom product information for mefloquine. In addition, the MHRA has since taken further action to ensure that these risks are adequately conveyed to UK prescribers and patients in the form of improved checklists for healthcare professionals and a patient alert card.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle the increasing number of cases of sexually transmitted infections in England.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The total number of those attending sexual health services, including consultations via e-Sexual Health Services in England increased by 7% between 2017 and 2018 (from 3,337,677 to 3,561,548), continuing the increasing trend over the past five years. Early detection and prompt treatment is vital to control transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).We are concerned to see the increase in STIs which highlights the importance of people practicing safe sex by using condoms. Local councils are increasingly offering a range of options including online testing to improve choice and convenience, with almost a fifth of chlamydia tests now accessed online and there are many schemes that offer free condoms to young people, gay men and other higher risk groups.

Genito-urinary Medicine

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop a national sexual health strategy.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The development of a national sexual health strategy is a key recommendation in the Health and Social Care Committee’s report on sexual health, which was published on 2 June 2019. The Government is currently considering the report’s recommendations and will publish a formal response shortly.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Finance

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase funding for sexual health services in England.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government provides funding to local authorities for their public health responsibilities, including sexual health services, through a public health grant. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, including the need for sexual health services taking account of their statutory duties. They are required by regulations to provide services for sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment and contraception.Future funding for local authorities’ public health responsibilities will be considered carefully in the next spending review, taking full account of the available evidence.

100,000 Genomes Project

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether those who have taken part in the NHS 100,000 Genome Project are being denied access to their own genome data; and if so, why.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Genomics England is committed to returning results to every patient in the 100,000 Genomes Project via their National Health Service clinical team. All of the patient results will have been returned to the NHS by the end of the year.Under the Data Protection Legislation, participants in the 100,000 Genomes Project can request their genomic and clinical data. However, a whole genome sequence is around 3 billion letters long and written in code so it is very difficult to interpret. Genomics England can provide access to a visual representation on request or provide access to the raw data. A NHS clinical team is the best route to providing a clinical interpretation of the genome results.

Vitamins

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the safety, and (2) the effectiveness, of using IV vitamin drips and other related therapies offered by retail clinics.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: If retail clinics are intending to administer vitamin drips and other related therapies intravenously for a medicinal purpose then the products and associated advertising must be in compliance with all relevant aspects of medicines legislation which includes an assessment of the safety quality and efficacy for licensed medicines.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the United Kingdom body responsible for ensuring that medicines work and are acceptably safe.Intravenous drips which are not intended for a medical purpose are not medicines and these products fall outside the MHRA’s jurisdiction.

Cannabis: Medical Treatments

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the availability of medicinal cannabis to people with diseases that cause chronic pain.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the advantages, and (2) the disadvantages, of allowing medical professionals to prescribe medicinal cannabis to people suffering from chronic pain.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what studies (1) have been carried out, and (2) are proposed, to investigate the pain relief impacts of medicinal cannabis on people who have multiple sclerosis.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The law was changed on 1 November 2018 to allow clinicians on the General Medical Council’s Specialist Register to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPM), where it is clinically appropriate and in the best interest of patients. Whilst the law allows clinicians to prescribe these products for the management of chronic pain, interim guidance jointly produced by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Radiologists, in liaison with the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, concludes that there is not yet robust evidence for the use of CBPM in chronic pain, and their use is currently not recommended.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been commissioned to develop updated clinical guidance on the prescribing of CBPM, including for the management of chronic pain, which will be published by October 2019. It will be based on the best available international evidence and will have been produced using NICE’s world-renowned process for identifying and assessing relevant studies and delivering such guidance. NICE is expected to consult on the draft guidance between 23 July – 20 August 2019.An initial impact assessment Rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 was published alongside The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018. A copy of this impact assessment is attached. This set out the approach that the Government proposed to take in assessing the costs and benefits of the change in the law at a population level, with regard to the rescheduling of CBPM. This framework included an analysis of cost and benefits for the use of cannabis for the management of chronic pain.To further the evidence-base, the National Institute for Health Research has issued two calls for research in this area, and is working with the industry and researchers to ensure that the evidence is developed in a way that will inform decisions on public funding. This research will be open to all good quality proposals covering any indication, including multiple sclerosis, pain and other disorders unresponsive to existing treatments.



Impact_Assessment
(PDF Document, 383.16 KB)

Department for International Development

International Assistance: Blockchain

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have givento making full use of the capabilities of blockchain-based smart contracts to protect the supply chain and ensure that major international aid and development projects are fully transparent, and that funding is secure.

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have(1) to help fund the further assessment and development of blockchain technologies for major infrastructure and international development projects, and (2) to ensure that the UK remains a centre of excellence and is a preferred jurisdiction for such contracts.

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to support UK companies that are developing blockchain technologyfor the delivery of major international development contracts.

baroness sugg: DFID is committed to best practice in the use of new digital technologies and we have set a vision for doing development in a digital world in our Digital Strategy. We have commissioned several reports to understand the effectiveness and potential of emerging blockchain technologies for international development. DFID also has several proof of concept pilots in design and implementation to test the potential of blockchain in, for example, humanitarian supply chains, tracking of UK aid funds, and to incentivise and reward environmentally sustainable farming practices. DFID is learning from these pilots and other projects to ensure that the UK remains at the cutting edge of delivering aid. DFID’s contracts are tendered in accordance with the EU Public Procurement Directive and the UK Public Procurement Regulations 2015, the focus of which is to ensure open and fair competition between bidders. This means our contracts are competitively tendered following a set of standard processes set out in the regulations. This competitive approach helps ensure value for money in the delivery of UK aid. British companies have continued to be very successful in this competitive market with UK firms winning 80% of our contracts in 2018/19.

Department for Education

Free School Meals

lord lennie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children with working parents qualify for free school meals.

lord agnew of oulton: The information requested is not held centrally. Free school meals (FSM) are aimed at families who are out of work, and those in work with low earnings.To be eligible to receive FSM, a pupil or their parent must be in receipt of one of the following listed benefits, and must make a claim to the school for FSM. The benefits include:Income Support,income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance,income-related Employment and Support Allowance,support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999,the guaranteed element of Pension Credit,Child Tax Credit (provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190),Working Tax Credit run-on, paid for 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit,Universal Credit - if they apply on or after 1 April 2018 their household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits they get).

Ministry of Justice

Abortion: Mental Illness

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Court of Appeal ruling overturning the decision of the Court of Protection to allow a mentally ill woman to be given an abortion against her wishes; what implications they consider that case to have for the rights of those with learning disabilities to become parents; and what steps, if any, they intend to take in the light of the Court of Appeal's ruling.

lord keen of elie: This is an extremely difficult and sensitive case, and the Government will consider the Court of Appeal judgment carefully. The Court of Protection hears cases about some of the most vulnerable people in society, making decisions about personal welfare – including serious medical treatment - where the person lacks capacity to do so for themselves. In doing so it must follow the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). In particular the MCA stipulates that decisions must be in the person’s best interests, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, including the wishes, feelings, beliefs and values of the person, and must be the least restrictive of their rights and freedoms. It is right that such serious and difficult decisions – particularly where there is disagreement about what is in the person’s best interests - are made by the independent judiciary. The statutory MCA Code of Practice provides practical guidance on the operation of the MCA and is currently under review. We have sought input from a range of interested stakeholders through a call for evidence in January and propose to consult on a revised Code towards the end of this year.

Lead: Theft

lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convictions for theft of lead from churches in England have been recorded in each of the last five years.

lord keen of elie: To identify whether theft convictions were specifically related to theft of lead from churches in England would require manual searching of court records, which would be of disproportionate cost.

Marriage: Humanism

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will grant legal recognition to humanist marriages; and if not, what are the reasons for not doing so.

lord keen of elie: The Law Commission review that the Government announced last month is a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, we have invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission’s recommendations.

Women's Prisons: Death

baroness corston: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths there have been in women's prisons in 2019, broken down by (1) cause, (2) classification, and (3) prison.

lord keen of elie: The table below shows the numbers of deaths in women’s prisons, by classification, up to the end of March 2019. That is the latest date for which figures are available. Prisonself-inflictedhomicidenatural causesother non-naturalawaiting classificationAskham Grange-----Bronzefield-----Downview-----Drake Hall-----Eastwood Park-----East Sutton Park-----Foston Hall-----Low Newton--1--New Hall-----Peterborough (F)-----Send-----Styal1----

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they appointed the consultancy Big Ideas to increase public engagement with the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre planning application; what specific remit they gave Big Ideas in undertaking that work; and how much they expect to pay Big Ideas for those services.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Big Ideas is a community interest company specialising in community engagement and commemoration. We are providing £118,000 funding to encourage local and national conversations on the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. This work has included engaging with mother and toddler groups, schools, and clubs for the elderly alongside national engagement with survivors, youth and civic organisations. Portal engagement is only one facet of Big Ideas work.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the exact wording of the questions asked by Big Ideas when seeking the views of members of the public about the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: With the consent of Westminster City Council, Big Ideas places on the Council’s planning portal both objections and supportive comments relating to the proposed Holocaust Memorial and learning Centre. Big Ideas acts in an open and transparent way. The exact wording of the questions asked is and has always been, since their engagement, in the public domain. They can be viewed here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdO4Ua3NaO6Ge3593pb7vOcaQ7htIFPDvpSEokF5A-eY5IDkA/viewform

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what methodology was used by Big Ideas to select participants in their consultation on the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Big Ideas were asked to encourage debate on the importance of a national Memorial to the Holocaust. This work has included engaging with mother and toddler groups, schools, and clubs for the elderly alongside national engagement with survivors, youth and civic organisations.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of respondents to Big Ideas' consultation on the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre were (1) resident, and (2) working in Westminster; and, in assessing public views on the planning application for that Centre, what assessment they have made of the relative weight that should be given to the views of (a) local people, and (b) other people whose lives would not be directly affected by that development.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: This is a matter for Westminster City Council to decide.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the accusation of the Save Victoria Tower Gardens Campaign that they employed Big Ideas to "rig" their own planning application for a UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Big Ideas is being funded to encourage local and national conversations on the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. The planning decision sits with Westminster Council.

Homelessness

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure adequate and sustainable funding to prevent homelessness in the long term.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy. This sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period. This year, Rough Sleeping Initiative investment totals £46 million and has been allocated to 246 areas – providing funding for an estimated 750 additional staff and over 2,600 bed spaces.The Chancellor has said that there will be a Spending Review this year, and the Government will be looking at long term funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services as part of that. We have made very clear that homelessness and rough sleeping is a key priority for the Government. We are working with other Government departments to assess what more can be done to combat rough sleeping and wider homelessness. This work is being overseen by the Ministerial Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce which includes HM Treasury and will play an important part of our preparations for the forthcoming Spending Review.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Equality

lord tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy that Her Majesty's Armed Forces should be comprised of equal numbers of men and women.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence is dedicated to achieving a more diverse and representative workforce. Consequently, we have undertaken a wide range of activities to increase representation across British society, including those that have historically been under-represented. As part of this drive, we are working towards a target of 15% of recruits into the Armed Forces being female by 2020. The target is stretching and reflects the importance Defence places on having diverse Armed Forces with all the benefits this brings.

Department for Work and Pensions

Poverty: Children

baroness primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Buscombe on 17 June (HL Deb, col 653), why child poverty has been “rising almost entirely in working families”.

baroness buscombe: The Institute for Fiscal Studies published “Living Standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2019” on 19 June which acknowledged that the rise of in-work relative poverty is a complex issue with no easy answer. They cited a number of reasons, including that there are more people in work overall and far fewer workless households, for example, there are 667,000 fewer children in workless households compared with 2010. Furthermore, far fewer pensioners are poor than ever before, primarily driven by increased government spending on pension benefits. This has raised the relative poverty line resulting in more ‘in work’ households falling below the line in recent years than they would have done without these increases in pensioner incomes.The IFS estimated that the remaining third of the increase is due to two main factors: that earnings have risen less quickly towards the bottom of the distribution than the top and that housing costs have risen faster for poorer households than richer ones.We know that there is more to do to support working people. The Chancellor has set out the Government’s ambition to end low pay across the UK. The National Living Wage, rose to £8.21 an hour in April 2019 and is expected to benefit over 1.7m people. The government is working to ease issues around high housing costs by delivering over 1.3 million extra homes in England since 2010. The Government is now on track to raise housing supply to 300,000 per year on average by the mid-2020s. Over £44 billion of new financial support will be available for housing over the next five years.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Southern Water

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the locations of the Southern Water sewage spills; and whether that information is publicly available.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Environment Agency has a live investigation into Southern Water so it would be inappropriate to give further details at this stage.

Sewage: Pollution

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, theyare taking to ensure that consumersare notified of havingsewage and waste water spillages in their locality.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Environment Agency (EA) operates a daily pollution risk forecasting service via the internet which notifies the public of pollution risks at England’s 421 designated bathing waters, during the bathing season (May-September). This service makes pollution forecasts based on known issues affecting bathing water quality (e.g. periods of heavy rainfall) and includes information of ongoing real-time pollution incidents.   The information the EA provides is also made available to the public by Surfers Against Sewage who include it in their Safer Seas Service application, alongside information on spills from storm overflows that is provided by water companies. Additionally, the EA is working with water companies on a programme to secure Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) on the vast majority of inland and coastal storm overflows in England by 2020. EDM measures the performance of storm overflows in terms of how often and for how long they spill which allows high risk overflows to be identified prior to evidence of environmental impact. This information is used to inform future improvement programmes for storm overflows. For storm overflows that discharge to sensitive waters such as to bathing beaches or other inland high amenity areas, we require the water companies to install automated communications telemetry, so that they know in real time when a storm overflow has discharged. Some water companies are extending this real time reporting for the majority of their storm overflows.

Sewage: Water Treatment

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the maximum (1) individual, and (2) corporate penalties, for falsifying data provided to Ofwat on the performance of sewage treatment sites.

lord gardiner of kimble: Ofwat’s powers allow it to take action against a company rather than an individual. Under section 22A of the Water Industry Act 1991 Ofwat can impose financial penalties of up to 10 per cent of a company’s annual turnover for a breach of legal obligation. Misreporting is classified as a breach of a water company’s licence condition. Calculation of turnover is made in relation to either the water business or the sewerage services business, unless the breach relates to both parts of the business.

Water Supply

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 14 June (HL16066), whether they have any plans to construct a national water grid.

lord gardiner of kimble: Water transfers can play a strong role in securing resilience, alongside other new infrastructure and reducing demand and leakage as part of the ‘twin track approach’. There is already a large amount of water transferred across the country, giving water companies greater flexibility to meet demand. Water companies are finalising revisions to their statutory water resource management plans. These plans set out how they will meet demand for water over at least the next 25 years and many include further transfer schemes. Ofwat, working with the Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate, recently established the Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development which will make sure regulation enables strategic schemes to improve resilience of water supplies. Such schemes might include water transfers. We are developing a National Policy Statement for water resources infrastructure which will streamline the planning process for nationally significant water resource infrastructure including large water transfers. We plan to lay the final version of this document in Parliament in the autumn.

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the environmental risks of disposing of polyurethane used in furniture which has been treated with tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP).

lord gardiner of kimble: Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) is also known by its regulatory process name, tris (2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCCP). The Environment Agency worked with chemical authorities in the Republic of Ireland to initially assess the risks of TCPP in 2008. The potential environmental and human health risks of TCPP in products and other objects are currently being considered by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and European Union member state scientists. Subsequently, building on a greater body of evidence, the ECHA, supported by Danish and German work are evaluating the properties of this substance and considering a legal restriction on it. Further information on this is expected soon and will help identify the chemical properties and environmental risks from TCPP in products like furniture.

Home Office

Visas: Conferences

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 25 June (HL16233), whether, when making decisions about whether to refuse visa applications to participants at conferences, including the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development held in Westminster on 11 June, they take into account whether a conference has been sponsored or part funded by a government department; and what assessment, if any, they make of the impact on the public purse and the reputation of the UK of a visa refusal for such a conference.

baroness williams of trafford: All UK Visa applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the UK Immigration Rules https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor-rules which set out the requirements to visit the UK. These requirements apply to all visitors to the UK and the onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that they satisfy the immigration rules.Among the points on which the applicant must satisfy the decision maker is that they are a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the end of their visit and will not make the UK their main home through frequent or successive visits. When assessing a visit visa application decision makers follow publicly available guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/793361/Visit-guidance-v8.0ext.pdf



Visit guidance 
(PDF Document, 1019.82 KB)

Emergency Services

lord steel of aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make it mandatory for emergency vehicles and motorcycles to use auditory warnings as well as flashing lights when travelling on the wrong side of any road.

baroness williams of trafford: Emergency service drivers are empowered to use certain road traffic exemption in the course of their duties. Decisions on when to exercise these exemptions is an operational matter.In the Government’s response to “The Law Guidance and Training Governing Police Pursuits” consultation we committed to undertaking a review of existing emergency service exemptions to traffic law to ensure that they are appropriate. Part of the review will consider how emergency services use exemptions safely.

Terrorism

lord stone of blackheath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 25 June (HL16054), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what assessment they have made of the impact of the ban on direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh on the current UK terrorist threat level; and whether they will reconsider this ban if it is found to have increased the threat level.

baroness williams of trafford: I refer the noble Lord to my previous response.The threat level to the UK from international terrorism is kept under constant review by the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, whose judgements about the threat level are made on the basis of the very latest reporting and intelligence. This can change at any time as different information becomes available.The current threat level from international terrorism is judged to be SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely.

Northern Ireland Office

Offences against Children: Northern Ireland

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe reply by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 20 June (HL Deb, col 835), whether the issues relating to institutional child abuse in Northern Ireland have been resolved; and if so, when legislation will be introduced to provide compensation for the victims and their families.

lord duncan of springbank: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters. The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of Legislative Council to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling

lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to reduce gambling addiction.

lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis they have undertaken of gambling addiction; and whereany such analysis is published.

lord ashton of hyde: The most recent large-scale report into gambling behaviour was published by the Gambling Commission in 2018, using data from the Health Surveys for England and Scotland 2016 and Problem Gambling Survey Wales 2016. This estimated the number of adult problem gamblers in Great Britain as approximately 340,000, 0.7% of the population. The surveys also identified people who are at risk of problems related to their gambling behaviour but who are not classified as problem gamblers. Both headline rates of problem gambling and at-risk rates have been relatively stable for many years. The government published the Review of Gambling Machines and Social Responsibility Measures in May 2018. This set out action to protect those vulnerable to harm, including cutting the maximum stake on B2 machine from £100 to £2, along with measures to strengthen protections around online gambling and gambling advertising. The Gambling Commission has tightened identity and age verification controls online and introduced tougher sanctions for breaches of advertising codes. A multi-million pound safer gambling advertising campaign, Bet Regret, was launched in February this year, aimed at reducing risky and impulsive gambling. The Review also set out action on treatment and support for those who experience harm, including initiatives to improve the evidence on treatment needs and effectiveness, expand access to existing services and strengthen the voluntary system for funding support. Following positive engagement with Government, five major operators recently committed to a tenfold increase in their contributions to support, including spending £100m on treatment over the next four years.

Gambling: Advertising

lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration theyhave given to banning advertising for gambling.

lord ashton of hyde: The Government considered the evidence on gambling advertising as part of the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures. The response was published in May 2018, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures Strict rules already ensure gambling adverts are not targeted at, or appeal to, children, or exploit vulnerable people. These apply across all media, including online. The Review set out a package of measures to strengthen existing protections further, including tough new guidance from the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) on protecting vulnerable people and children, and a multi-million pound safer gambling advertising campaign. This launched in February and is aimed at reducing risky and impulsive gambling. The gambling industry also recently announced that it will introduce a whistle-to-whistle ban on adverts during daytime (pre-9pm) sporting events in response to public concerns. This will come into force on 1 August. We will continue to monitor issues around gambling advertising and consider any new evidence carefully.

Gambling: Children and Young People

lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis they have undertaken of the extent and nature of gambling among children and young people; and where any such analysis is published.

lord ashton of hyde: Protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling is a core objective of the regulation of gambling in Great Britain, and a priority for the government. Operators offering gambling services to people in Great Britain must have a licence from the Gambling Commission and must have effective policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling. Where there is a failure to prevent underage gambling, the Gambling Commission has a range of powers to act, including regulatory and/or criminal action. The Government's Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, published in May 2018, set out measures to increase existing protections around gaming machines, online gambling and gambling advertising. These included new guidance from the Committees of Advertising Practice on protecting children and young people, and stricter age verification controls for online gambling operators. The response can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures  The Gambling Commission carries out an annual survey of gambling behaviour among 11-16 year olds in Great Britain, which gives an estimate of rates of participation in gambling activities and problem gambling. The most recent report was published in November 2018. This can be found here: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/pdf/survey-data/young-people-and-gambling-2018-report.pdf A report from the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB, now called Advisory Board for Safer Gambling, ABSG), expert advisers to the Gambling Commission, and the Gambling Commission’s response can also be found here: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/RGSB-Gambling-and-children-and-young-people-2018.pdfhttps://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/Gambling-and-children-and-young-people-response-2018.pdf

Business: Billing

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they have takento use blockchain-based smart-contracts to ensure that small and medium sized enterprises are protected from late payment by larger companies in the supply chain.

lord ashton of hyde: The Government recognises the impact late payments can have on businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises. Blockchain technology is one solution of how this can be tackled.. For example, smart contracts can initiate payments based on digitally approved work or digitally tracked goods delivery. This enables businesses to be paid automatically, reducing the need for invoicing and preventing delays in payments. The technology ensures a high level of transparency for all parties involved, and helps prevent organisations from taking unilateral actions to alter original contracts. The Government is supporting the development of blockchain technology in the UK and officials in the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport are exploring potential pilot projects with government departments. The Department for Business recently published the government response on the call for evidence to end late payments to small businesses. Many SMEs supply to government and, as one of the UK's largest corporate buyers, it is our responsibility to ensure suppliers are paid promptly and to examine where the use of technology can help with this.

Television: Licensing

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist those over 75 with long-term complex illnesses such as dementia to pay for a TV licence from June 2020.

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information and advice they intend to provide to carers who work with people who are over 75 to help them to pay for a TV licence from June 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020. The BBC is committed to working with older peoples groups, charities and voluntary organisations to design a bespoke system to support all those over 75 affected by its decision. As part of this system, the BBC says that its licensing arm, TV Licensing, will make it as easy as possible for carers and family members to act as representatives for pensioners seeking to claim a free TV licence, including those caring for elderly people with complex illnesses like dementia.

Television: Licensing

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the change to the TV licence concession for the over-75s from June 2020; how that change will affect the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) TV licence; and how they intend to communicate any impact on ARC TV licences to those who live and work in residential care homes.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020. The BBC is committed to working with older people’s groups, charities and voluntary organisations to design a bespoke system to support all those over 75 affected by its decision. As part of this system, the BBC says that its licensing arm, TV Licensing, will make it as easy as possible for carers and family members to act as representatives for pensioners seeking to claim a free TV licence, including those in residential care homes. The Government has no intention to change the accommodation for residential care licence fee concession. Guidance on the accommodation for residential care licence fee concession can be found on the TV Licensing website: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ78

Internet: Harassment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce fines for cyber-harassment.

lord ashton of hyde: The Online Harms White Paper proposes establishing a new regulatory framework for online safety which will make clear companies’ responsibilities to keep UK users safer online under a new duty of care. This framework will be overseen by an independent regulator which will have effective enforcement powers. Among the sanctions available to the regulator will be the power to fine operators who do not comply with their new duty of care. The government believes that behaviour which is illegal or unacceptable offline should be treated in the same way online and it is important to make sure that the criminal law is fit for purpose to deal with online harms. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport and the Ministry of Justice have engaged the Law Commission on a second phase of their review of abusive and offensive online communications. The Law Commission will review existing communications offences and make recommendations about options for reform. This will include considering whether co-ordinated harassment by groups of people online could be more effectively dealt with by the criminal law.